Titanic Museum Branson

The Titanic Museum Branson has over $4.5 million of original Titanic artifacts and is well worth the entrance fee. The museum includes a $1 million replica of the original grand stairs, the memorial wall, as well as the survivors’ wall of stories.

Visitors have an opportunity to touch a “glacier” as well as put their hand in water that is similar in temperature to the 28-degree water from the North Atlantic that April day in 1912.

Also, an exhibit allows you to experience the tilt of the ship as the water filled it just before it sunk. See how you well you can stand where the floor is on a 45-degree angle. In addition, participants have an opportunity can walk the 3rd class hallways and see what a typical room looked like on the Titanic.

Spanning the 882 feet, the Titanic’s width exceeds the heights of the St Louis Arch, the Golden State Bridge, and the Washington Monument.

Thought many have studied the Titanic, how much do you know about the Titanic and the persons on that ill-fated ship?

Questions

1. Where was the Titanic built?

a) London b) Belfast c) New York

2. How many dogs were aboard Titanic?

a) 20 b) 10 c) None

3. What other animals were aboard Titanic?

a) Cats b) Snakes c) Roosters

4. What next port of call for the Titanic after it left Southampton on April 10, 1912?

a) Cherbourg, France b) Queenstown, Ireland c) New York

Each guest receives a boarding pass which also includes the biography of a passenger on that Titanic. Four stories are detailed below.

Mary Dunbar Hewlett

2nd class section Age:56

Destination: Rapid City, S.D. to visit her son

Was rescued by the Carpathia

Lucile Carter

1st class section Age: 13

Residence: Philadelphia, PA

Her parents owned a Renault which was the only vehicle on the ship.

Had a dog, Airedale, with her but he had to be left on the ship.

Her younger brother cried and wondered if they would see their dog again.

Franz Karun

3rd class section Age: 39

Destination Galesburg, IL where he ran a boarding house for railroad workers.

Traveled with his 4 year old daughter, Manca and brother-in-law Johann Markun.

Frank and Manca were rescued but Johann died in the doomed ship.

Frank prayed that little Manca wouldn’t be taken from him.

Master Frankie Goldsmith

3rd class section Age: 9

Residence: Strood, England

His father was looking to find a job in Detroit, Michigan.

His father’s last words to him were “So long, Frankie. I’ll see you later.”

Frankie and his mother were rescued but his father died in the sinking ship.

Even though all four of these Titanic passengers survived the sinking of the ship, they each lost something from that ill fated journey. It could have been a family member or even a family animal. Also, it could be the horror of watching so many people and friends freeze to death in the North Atlantic that April day in 1912.

Answers (b), (b), (c), (b)

Talking Rocks Cavern in Branson, MO

The Talking Rocks Cavern is a good opportunity to “cool” off in the hot Branson summer as the cave stays a constant 62 degrees and you can also view some fascinating cave formations. The one-hour tour starts in the gift shop and extends down approximately 100 feet into the cave. The walkway down the cave is narrow and even though we were asked not to touch the actual rocks, there were times this was difficult. The cave includes “bacon” which is a series of low hanging columns as shown in the picture above. There are also “draperies” that hang down from the ceiling as well as the more typical stalactites and stalagmites as shown below.

The cave got its current name from Waldo Powell who noted that the physical evidence in the cave told him a story how the cave formed. Also, there is a sound system with speakers disbursed throughout the cave to help each person hear the tour leader.

Have you ever wondered what really makes a cave? Caves are actually formed and the most common type is a limestone cave. They are formed when a bedrock of limestone is slowly dissolved by rain. The rainwater mixes with CO2 to form a weak solution called carbonic acid. Over time, this solution slowly eats away the rock and the holes and tunnels become bigger over time. Finally, water drains away leaving a hollow space and the beginning of a cave.

Don’t forget to walk the free nature trails and free lookout tower on the Talking Rocks Cavern grounds. Also, there are free shaded picnic areas on the cave grounds.

Useful Cave Terms

Stalactites – The word has a “c” and these mineral deposits start at the ceiling and extend down towards the floor of the cave.

Stalagmites – The word has a “g” and these mineral deposits start at the ground/floor and extend up towards the ceiling of the cave.

Soda Straws – The beginning phase of a stalactite. The mineral deposits are hollow at this point.

Column – When a stalactite and a stalagmite grow until they join together to form a column.

Entrance Zone – Some sunlight reaches this part of a cave and some green plants and animals live in this area.

Twilight Zone – In this part of the cave, there is still some light and the temperature is cool but not constant. Plants in this area need moisture and cool air.

Dark Zone – The area of total darkness. The temperature is cool, moist and constant. No green plants grow and all animals in this zone live their entire lives in the dark.

Other Branson Sites

The Showboat Branson Belle

This large boat sits on beautiful Table Rock State Park. This paddle boat does move slowly up and down Table Rock Lake but most of that time you are enjoying the music and dancing from the performers. The total time on the boat is approximately 3 hours which includes approximately 1 hour on the boat before shows start. The music ranged from an Elvis medley to several 80s rock songs. The performers were outstanding and the dinner was good too. This is definitely a good choice when in Branson.

Lakeside Forest Wilderness Area in Branson Heights

Hike the relatively easy .5 mile Blue Trail, the long moderate 2.4 mile Ridge Trail or the difficult 1.1 mile Taneycomo Trail. The Taneycomo Trail drops to beautiful Lake Taneycomo but requires hikers to navigate a series of over 300 steps to get down to the lake. There is one other option for hiking to the lake. Take the Ridge Trail to the lake as this is a more gradual drop to the lake and then come back on the Taneycomo Trail. Then you only need to take the 300 steps one time.